GALT - A small, quiet community was rocked by tragedy again Tuesday when a law enforcement officer was killed in the line of duty for the second time in less than two months.

Officer Kevin Tonn, a 35-year-old Galt resident and a three-year veteran of the Galt Police Department, was gunned down by a man who then used the same weapon to take his own life, authorities said. The name of the alleged shooter was not released pending notification of family, police said.

This is believed to be the first time a member of the Galt Police Department has been shot to death while on duty since the department was founded in 1946, said Sgt. Jason Ramos, a spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.

Tonn's death shocked and saddened many in Galt, a city of 25,000, including the 35 remaining members of the city's police force.

"In smaller agencies, everybody knows everybody, so this is a huge blow to them," said Ramos, one of many law enforcement officials from outside agencies who came to the scene to offer support for the Galt Police Department. "It's a big blow to everybody in the community."

Police responded to a report of a residential burglary in the 200 block of F Street at 11:22 a.m., authorities said. About 10 minutes later, as officers were interviewing witnesses, they spotted a man walking along the railroad tracks between 3rd and 4th streets, just north of their location, police said.

Tonn approached the man, and a physical struggle ensued, officers said. During that confrontation, the man pulled out a handgun and fired one shot, striking Tonn, authorities said. The man then turned and fired several more shots at another officer before shooting himself, police said.

Tonn was unconscious but breathing when an ambulance arrived to rush him to a hospital, said Lt. Jim Uptegrove, a spokesman for the Galt Police Department. Less than an hour later, officers learned Tonn had succumbed to his injuries, Uptegrove said.

"I think everybody felt (Tonn) was probably going to be OK," Uptegrove said. "Everybody realized it wasn't good, but he had (vital signs) when they transported him. When we received word from the hospital that he didn't survive, at that point it was extremely emotional."

Tonn graduated from the Sacramento Sheriff's Academy in January 2009 and was hired by the Galt Police Department later that year, authorities said. He previously worked as a medic and firefighter in New York, authorities said. He was not married and had no children, police said. A trust fund has been set up in his name at Premier West Bank on East Stockton Boulevard in Elk Grove.

"He was very hardworking and a very personable guy," Uptegrove said. "If you ever needed anything, he was always there."

Many residents stood along nearby streets gawking at the heavy police presence and the alleged gunman's lifeless body, which remained in a field along the railroad tracks for hours after the shooting. Many expressed sadness for the fallen officer and his family.

"I've seen (Tonn) around," said Sara Dechert, a 29-year-old Galt resident. "I've been pulled over by him. He was nice."

"The cops are really good around here," Kirchhof said. "They give stickers to my kids and stuff. They're all good people."

Stephanie Moe, 33, grew up in Galt and knows a number of the city's police officers.

"This town has always been so small and so close-knit," Moe said. "To know an officer was shot, everybody's going to be completely overwhelmed. You don't ever think this is going to happen in a small town like this. A lot of the officers have grown up here their whole lives, and that's why they come back here - to protect their community."

Conflicting stories circulated throughout the afternoon as onlookers passed information along to each other. Moe and another woman, 22-year-old Kristin Letawsky, said they witnessed the alleged shooter's death from the window of Moe's 4th Street photo studio less than 100 yards away. Both said officers were firing at the gunman, and neither believed he shot himself.

"We saw the whole thing," Letawsky said. "His hands were to his side, and we never saw his hands go up like he was putting a gun to his head. He was trying to get away, and then we heard a few more shots, and then we saw him go down."

Ramos disputed that account, saying the alleged gunman suffered one gunshot wound and was found with a handgun next to his body. "I've heard that story, but there's nothing to substantiate that," Ramos said. "The suspect is on the ground with a handgun in very close proximity to his body. He has what we believe to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and our preliminary investigation shows that neither of the officers fired their weapons."

Tonn was killed seven weeks after Roy Marcum, a 45-year-old Sacramento County animal control officer, was slain while trying to remove pets from a foreclosed home on 1st street, about a half-mile from Tuesday's shooting.

"It's scary," said Steve Langley, a 50-year-old Galt resident. "We had the animal control officer killed around the corner, and now this. You always see it happen in other areas, but to see it happen here? My gosh."